Police stop on I-93 in Wilmington leads to gun charges

Monday

Sep 11, 2017 at 4:39 PMSep 11, 2017 at 4:51 PM

State police report a traffic stop on Sept. 11 led to two arrests related to alleged unlawful firearms.

In a press release, state police said shortly before 1:30 a.m. Monday, Trooper Stephen Thomson, who is assigned to State Police-Andover, was patrolling Interstate 93 northbound in Wilmington when a Hyundai Tucson sport utility with Arizona plates sped past him clocked at greater than 100 miles per hour, straddling both the left and middle lanes, the press release said.

Thomson caught up to the vehicle and conducted a motor vehicle stop, the press release said.

Two men were in the Tucson. The trooper approached the driver, who identified himself as Melvin Ace Coleman, 26, of Randolph, and asked for license and registration, the press release said.

The operator of the Arizona-registered Tucson stated he did not have his license on him and handed over a Massachusetts registration belonging to a Lexus ES350. Troopers David Hanafin and Daniel Purtell arrived to assist with the stop, the press release said.

A query of the Tucson’s Arizona plate revealed it was a rental from Enterprise Rental. Asked for a copy of the rental agreement, Coleman allegedly said it wasn’t in the car. Asked if the vehicle was rented to him, Coleman allegedly acknowledged it wasn’t. Asked who, then, it was rented to, he said he would call his friend to find out.

The passenger, meanwhile, stated that he did not have identification on him, and identified himself as Tayon D. Harper, 23, of Randolph, the press release said.

Troopers removed both men from the vehicle. The police then observed, in plain view on the floor under the passenger seat, what appeared to be a handgun, and both men were immediately placed in handcuffs, the press release said. Hanafin then retrieved a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson with 10 rounds in the magazine. The gun was determined to have been stolen from an auction in Georgia, the press release said.

During a subsequent inventory of the vehicle, Thomson then located a second firearm, wrapped in a white T-shirt, under the driver’s seat. That gun was also determined to be a .40 caliber with 10 rounds in the magazine, the press release said.

Troopers determined that neither suspect had a license to carry a firearm, the press release said. Both suspects were transported to State Police-Andover where they were booked.

Coleman was charged with:

Unlawful possession of a firearm;Unlawful possession of ammunition;Being a felon in possession of a firearm (previously convicted of robbery charges in 2006 and 2007);Possession of a loaded firearm;Using a motor vehicle without authority;Reckless operation of a motor vehicle;Marked lanes violation; Driving with no license in his possession.

Harper was charged with:

Unlawful possession of a firearm;Unlawful possession of ammunition;Being a felon in possession of a firearm (previously convicted of distribution of Class A and Class B narcotics); andPossession of a loaded firearm.

Harper was found to be the subject of four open firearms charges in Suffolk Superior Court, the press release said.

Following booking at the barracks, the suspects were transported to the Essex County House of Correction in Middleton, where they were held until expected arraignments in Woburn District Court the morning of Sept. 11, the press release said.